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pared. I am made to understand, that you have lent him visitation.

Duke. He professes to have received no sinister measure from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to the determination of justice: yet had he framed to himself, by the instruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life; which I, by my good leisure, have discredited to him, and now is he resolved to die.

Escal. You have paid the heavens your function, and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have labour'd for the poor gentleman, to the extremest shore of my modesty; but my brother justice have I found so severe, that he hath forc'd me to tell him, he is indeedjustice'.

Duke. If his own life answer the straitness of his proceeding, it shall become him well; wherein, if he chance to fail, he hath sentenced himself.

Escal. I am going to visit the prisoner: Fare you well. Duke. Peace be with you!

[Exeunt ESCALUS and Provost

He, who the sword of heaven will bear,

Should be as holy as severe;

Pattern in himself to know',

Grace to stand, and virtue go;
More nor less to others paying,
Than by self-offences weighing.
Shame to him, whose cruel striking
Kills for faults of his own liking!
Twice treble shame on Angelo,
To weed my vice, and let his grow!
O, what may man within him hide,
Though angel on the outward side!
How may likeness, made in crimes,
Making practice on the times,

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resolved] i. e. satisfied.

he is indeed-justice.] Summum jus, summa injuria.

• Pattern in himself to know,] “Pattern in himself to know," is to feel in his own breast that virtue which he makes others practise.

Draw with idle spiders' strings

Most pond'rous and substantial things1!
Craft against vice I must apply:
With Angelo to-night shall lie
His old betrothed, but despis'd;
So disguise shall, by the disguis'd,
Pay with falsehood false exacting,
And perform an old contracting.

[Exit.

[blocks in formation]

Mari. Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away; Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice

Hath often still'd my brawling discontent.-[Exit Boy.

1 How may likeness, made in crimes,

Making practice on the times,

Draw with idle spiders' strings

Most pond'rous and substantial things!]

Likeness is here

used for specious or seeming virtue. So, before: "O, seeming, seeming!" The sense then of the passage is,-How many persons, assuming the likeness or semblance of virtue, while they are

Enter Duke.

I

cry you mercy, sir; and well could wish You had not found me here so musical:

Let me excuse me, and believe me so,

My mirth it much displeas'd, but pleas'd my woe. Duke. 'Tis good: though musick oft hath such a charm,

To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.

I pray you, tell me, hath any body inquired for me here to-day? much upon this time have I promis'd here

to meet.

Mari. You have not been inquired after: I have sat here all day.

Enter ISABELLA.

Duke. I do constantly' believe you :-The time is come, even now. I shall crave your forbearance a little ; may be, I will call upon you anon, for some advantage to yourself.

Mari. I am always bound to you.

Duke. Very well met, and welcome.

What is the news from this good deputy?

Isab. He hath a garden circummur'd with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd ;
And to that vineyard is a planched gate3,
That makes his opening with this bigger key:
This other doth command a little door,

Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;
There have I made my promise to call on him,
Upon the heavy middle of the night.

[Exit.

in fact guilty of the grossest crimes, impose with this counterfeit sanctity upon the world, in order to draw to themselves by the flimsiest pretensions the most solid advantages; i. e. pleasure, honour, reputation, &c. MALONE. The same critic reads "Mocking practice," and "To draw."

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constantly] Certainly; without fluctuation of mind. a planched gate,] i. e. a gate made of boards.

Duke. But shall you on your knowledge find this way?
Isab. I have ta'en a due and wary note upon't;
With whispering and most guilty diligence,

In action all of precept, he did show me
The way twice o'er.

Duke.
Are there no other tokens
Between you 'greed, concerning her observance?
Isab. No, none, but only a repair i'the dark;
And that I have possess'd him, my most stay
Can be but brief: for I have made him know,
I have a servant comes with me along,
That stays upon me; whose persuasion is,
I come about my brother.

Duke.

"Tis well borne up.

I have not yet made known to Mariana

A word of this:-What, ho! within! come forth!

Re-enter MARIANA.

I pray you be acquainted with this maid;

She comes to do you good.

Isab.

I do desire the like.

Duke. Do you persuade yourself, that I respect you? Mari. Good friar, I know you do; and have found it. Duke. Take then this your companion by the hand, Who hath a story ready for your ear:

I shall attend your leisure; but make haste;
The vaporous night approaches.

Mari.

Will't please you walk aside?

[Exeunt MARIANA and ISABELLA.

Duke. O place and greatness, millions of false eyes Are stuck upon thee! volumes of report

Run with these false and most contrarious quests

In action all of precept,] i. e. in direction given not by words, but

by mute signs.

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I have possess'd him,] I have inform'd him.

each other.

contrarious quests —] Different reports, running counter to

Upon thy doings! thousand 'scapes of wit'
Make thee the father of their idle dream,
And rack thee in their fancies!-Welcome!
agreed?

Re-enter MARIANA and ISABELLA.

Isab. She'll take the enterprize upon her, father,

you advise it.

How

If

Duke.

It is not my consent,

But my intreaty too.

Isab.

Little have you to say,

When you depart from him, but, soft and low,
Remember now my brother.

Mari.

Fear me not.

Duke. Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all :

He is your husband on a pre-contract:

To bring you thus together, 'tis no sin;
Sith that the justice of your title to him

Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go;
Our corn's to reap, for yet our tithe's to sow.

SCENE II.

A Room in the Prison.

Enter Provost and Clown.

[Exeunt.

Prov. Come hither, sirrah: Can you cut off a man's head?

Clo. If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can: but if he be a married man, he is his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head.

Prov. Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine: Here is in our prison a com

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'scapes of wit] i. e. sallies, irregularities.

8 Doth flourish the deceit.] i. e. ornament.

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